Barrier Identification and Prioritisation Grant

About this grant

The European Open Rivers Programme is a grant-giving organisation that funds projects to remove small dams and restore river flow and biodiversity in Europe. Its stated rationale is that around one million dams are fragmenting European rivers, and the programme was shaped by two years of research and stakeholder engagement. The programme is particularly interested in dam removal projects that will allow at least 10 km of river to flow freely again. The page lists related project types on its site, including barrier identification and prioritisation, dam removal pre-demolition work, dam removal itself, enabling others to remove dams, and project preparation. Important for this row: the page states that applications for A1 Barrier Identification and Prioritisation grants will not be invited in the current call. The programme's priority for the foreseeable future is preparatory and dam removal projects. The row's title therefore does not match an open funding stream in the current call. The current open call closes at 13:00 CET on 13 November 2026, and applications are submitted through an online portal. The page also points to a grant types page, an application calendar, FAQs and application resources, which may contain further detail not captured here. A project update on the page describes North Macedonia's first dam removal, in which the NGO Eko-svest, working with the Municipality of Kumanovo and with Open Rivers Programme support, removed a dam on the Pčinja River.

Eligibility

The page does not set out a detailed applicant eligibility list. It states that grants support projects leading to the removal of small dams and the restoration of river flow and biodiversity in Europe. The current call is open for preparatory and dam removal projects, and applications for A1 Barrier Identification and Prioritisation grants are not being invited in this call. Applicants should check the grant types and FAQ pages for organisation-type, stage and cost rules.

Key requirements

• ✓Focus on identifying and prioritising barriers to river connectivity
• ✓Work must support groundwork and planning for dam removal or river restoration
• ✓Applicants should have expertise in river ecology, hydrology, or restoration planning

Recent past awardees

Knowing who's won the last rounds tells you whether you're in the strike zone.

• Eko-svest · 2025

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Barrier Identification and Prioritisation deadline?

Applications close 13 Nov 2026 12:00.

Who can apply for Barrier Identification and Prioritisation?

Eligibility covers organisations in GB; nonprofit, charity, research-institution, university, consultancy, local-authority. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Biodiversity funding backs habitat restoration, species protection, protected areas and nature-positive business. It comes from environment agencies, multilateral nature funds and conservation philanthropy, often through competitive calls with defined regions. Applicants are usually asked for baseline surveys, local partners and indicators that show ecological change.